Brick lifting apparatus



m e n 2 1 m .w m mw. m V n w.. 5, e m ,M n A 3 m c 0 Rw a @w 2 u M Y m 5 .kx s w W m Vw E m d z m l\1\./\ )i4/? QNx//Q. n N P A M E Zw M c m l I s u www wmv www wmv A m I-.ll.lll.mnllllmnl ll.lwll |!m.l lll.bmullll'l'l'll'll April 21, 1953 Flled June 6 1951 55 'my 36 Q alli/i506@ yi A April 2l, 1953 A s. MAcKENzlE 2,635,912

BRICK LIFTING APPARATUS Filed June e, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 il @im ifm 574 33 3 lie rlf'fl 4 Mtl 4 TTORNEY April 21, 1953 A. s. MAcKENzlE BRICK LIFTING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 6 1951 A m Nb M WU m mn W A@ f4 .a z 0M m i" w 2 .5M m 2 w .wm /Z F M .j d /l n z A Y Y B wn ATTORNEY Patented Apr. Z1, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 12 Claims. (Cl. 294--63) This invention relates to an improvement in brick lifting apparatus and deals particularly with a device useful in lifting piles of brick or other similar objects.

An object or the present invention lies in the provision of an apparatus capable of engaging onA opposite sides of a series of rows of bricks and acts to clamp the bricks together so that they may be lifted in unison. Other bricks overlie the rows of bricks being clamped and therefore permit a series of superimposed rows of bricks to be simultaneously lifted. The present device is particularly useful in conjunction with loading and unloading bricks or blocks on trucks and truck trailers, through the use of a hoisting apparatus of the type disclosed in an application for patent, Serial No. 119,651, led October 5, 1949.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a clamping device which is capable of clamping rows of bricks on opposite sides of the clamping means. In other words, the clamping means may be positioned in a space between rows of bricks and may act outwardly against the bricks on each side of the clamping means to clamp the rows of bricks against other cooperable structures.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an elongated clamping means de# signed to t between two spaced rows of bricks and designed to include projectible `elements which move laterally against the rows of bricks. In other words, in effect the clamping means expands in width when desired to engage against the bricks and to clamp them against other spaced clamping members.

i A further object of the present invention lies in the provision of clamping means which is actuated by flexible connecting means controlled by the lifting apparatus. Prior to the actual lifting operation, the flexible means acts to expand the clamping means against the rows of bricks and to hold the clamping means in this position during the raising and lowering of the bricks.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a, part of my speciiication:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a pile of bricks showing the brick clamping means used in conjunction therewith.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the arrangement of parts which make up the apparatus and the relationship between these parts and the bricks being` elevated.

Figure 3 is an end elevation view of a portion of the pile of bricks and the clamping mechanism showing the elevating mechanism disengaged from the clamping devices.

Figure 4 is an` enlarged elevational view of a portion of the mechanism showing the brick clamping means in brick clamping position.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a detailed View of a portion of the clamping unit showing the arrangement of parts therein.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the brick clamping means in clamping or expanded position.

The device is best equipped to handle generally a rectangular pile of brick or other similar block material, which has as its lowest layer a series of rows of brick in spaced relation supporting the remainder of the pile. For example in Figure 3 of the drawings it will be noted that the rectangular stack of bricks indicated in general by the letter A is supported by longitudinal rows of bricks indicated by the numerals l0, Il and I2. Each of these rows of bricks comprises two rows arranged in surface contact and located at substantially the center of the bricks i3 of the next adjacent row. As a result oi this construction generally rectangular passageways I4 are provided between the brick rows l0, Il and l2 and the bricks of the lowermost tier of the rectangularly arranged block overhang the end rows l0 and l2 to provide longitudinally extending spaces l5 beneath the last rows of bricks of the series.

In order to pick up the bricks and to carry them while still retaining the" Astack formation, I provide a series of elongated clamping members indicated in general by the letter B. These clamping vmembers B are designed to extend through the longitudinally extending passages I4 beneath the stack of bricks. Additional clamping members indicated in general by the letter C are provided to extend beneath the edges of the stack of bricks in the spaces l5. Both the clamping members C and B are of suitable length to extend through the stack of bricks and to extend slightly to either side thereof as best indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The clamping members B are illustrated in assembled form in Figure 1 of the drawings. These members include a pair of spaced elongated bars I6 and I1 which extend throughout the length of the stack of bricks A and which extend slightly from opposite ends thereof. As best illustrated in Flgules 1, 5, and 6 of the drawings, these bars I6 and Il are held in parallel spaced relation by end partitions I9 and spaced intermediate partitions 2D. The end partitions I9 are provided with apertures 2| therethrough designed to accommodate pulleys 22 and 23. These pulleys 22 and 23 are supported on a transverse axis 24, both pulleys being aligned. The intermediate partitions 29 are provided with apertures 25 and 26 therethrough to accommodate the sliding rods 21 and 29. These apertures 25 slidably support the rods 21 and 29 so that these rods may move longitudinally between the spaced bars I6 and I1.

The various clamping elements B are lifted by a suitable crane or derrick which is connected to a head 39 at each end of the stack of bricks. The cross member 30 supports a pair of eye bolts 3| and 32 for each clamping member B. Chains 33 and 34 extend downwardly from the eye bolts 3| and 32 and act to support a lifting bracket 35. This lifting bracket includes a cross memn ber 36 which connects the two chains 33 and 34 and includes a pair of generally rectangular apertures 31 and 39 which are designed to accommodate the portions of the clamping members B which extend beyond the stack of bricks. In preferred form of construction the bars I6 and I1 are notched along their lower edges so that only the upper portions of the bars extend beyond the stack of bricks for accommodation in the lifting bracket 35. As a result the bracket 35 may be easily attached to the ends of the clamping members even while these clamping members are resting upon the ground.

A third chain 49 is secured to the cross member 30 between each pair of chains 33 and 34. This intermediate chain 49 is provided with a hook 4| at its lowest extremity. This hook 4I is designed for accommodation into the hook eye 42 of a pulley block 43. A exible cable is attached at one end 44 to the rod 21 and at the other end 45 to the rod 29. The cable 46 extends through the pulleys 22 and 23 and loops upwardly through the pulley block 43. As a result an upward pull upon the eye 42 of the pulley block 43 creates an equalized pull upon the pulley block, tending to exert a longitudinal pull upon the operating rods 21 and 29.

A pair of generally rectangular racks 41 and 49 are slidably supported upon the rods 21 and 29. Collars 50 and 5| on the rods 21 and 29 respectively engage against the racks 41 and 49 to limit slidable movement thereof in one direction. Springs 52 and 53 are interposed between the racks 41 and 49 and fixed collars 54 and 55 on the shafts 21 and 29. Thus as a longitudinal movement is exerted upon the rods 21 and 29 tending to draw these rods outwardly, the collars 54 and 55 act through the springs 52 and 53 to move the racks 41 and 49 outwardly. If further movement of the racks is impeded, the springs 52 and 53 may compress to permit the necessary movement of the rods 21 and 29.

Bearings 56 and 51 are mounted upon the eye beams or bars I1 and I6 respectively and are provided with bifurcated ends which are drilled to accommodate pivots 59 and 69 pivotally supporting ratchets 6I and 62. These ratchets 6I and 62 are rotated as the racks 41 and 49 move longitudinally of the bars I1 and I9. Outward movement of the racks 41 and 49 pivots the ratchet wheels 6I and 62 in opposite directions t swing the ratchet arms 63 and 64 outwardly through the walls of the bearings I6 and I1. In other words, as the racks 41 and 49 move downwardly as viewed in Figure 5, the ratchet wheel 62 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction toward the position shown in Figure 6. Similarly the ratchet wheel 6I rotates in a clockwise direction toward the position shown in Figure 6. When the ratchet arms 63 and 64 are held from further outward movement the springs 52 and 53 compress to take up any additional movement.

Clamping plates 65 and 6B are provided with inwardly extending arms 61 and 69 respectively which are hingedly connected at 10 and 1I to the ratchet wheel arms 63 and 64. Thus as the ratchet wheels 6I and 62 are pivoted by movement of the racks 41 and 49, the pressure plates 65 and 66 are pressed against the rows of bricks and clamp them against the next adjacent clamping member. It will be noted that the clamping arms 65 and 66 are free to pivot about the pivots 10 and 1| and as a result opposite ends of the clamping member may be properly adjusted automatically to t the contour of the inner surface of the bricks.

Each of the clamping members B include a series of individual clamping devices such as that just described connected to the rods 21 and 29. For example in the clamping devices B illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings each clamping device includes four sets of racks such as 41 and 49 which operate in a direction toward each end of the structure. In other words, there are eight clamping devices, each including racks of the type disclosed at 41 and 49, four of which act toward one end of the clamping device, while the other four act toward the other end of the clamping device. This necessitates two sets of operating rods 21 and 29, two of which are movable toward each end of the clamping device. Obviously therefore, there are eight sets of clamping plates such as 65 and 66 which clamp the bricks on each side of the clamping device. Preferably the individual clamping devices are spaced so that only one such clamping device is provided for each brick, or at the most each pair of bricks. As a result an individual clamping pressure against each individual brick of the bottom rows I9, Il and I2 is insured.

As best indicated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, a somewhat different structure is provided outwardly of all of the rows of. bricks to clamp the bricks of the outermost row. In the particular arrangement illustrated in the drawings, the clamping unit C lies outwardly of the outermost rows of bricks I9 and I2 so as to provide a wall against which the clamping units B may extend. If preferred, these outermost clamping members C may comprise merely an angle iron structure which forms a solid bar against which the bricks may be clamped. In the drawings, I disclose an angle iron member at each side of the bricks, one clamping unit C including an angle member 13 outwardly of the row of bricksIZ and a second angle member 14 outwardly of the row of bricks I0. These angle members are substantially identical, but are reversed in position.

The angle member 13 includes a vertical ange 15 and a horizontal flange 19. This horizontal ange 15 may engage against the undersurface of the brick layer I3 so as to assist in supporting the lowermost full tier of bricks I3. It will be noted that at each end of the unit, a portion of the horizontal flange 16 is cut away to provide a projection which extends beyond the ends of the stack of bricks. This projection 11 is designed to lit into a loop 19 formed to lift the clamping unit C. The loop 19 forms a part of the lifting bracket C and is equipped with a chain loop attached thereto and projecting Vupwardly therefrom. The chain loop 80 forms an integal part of the vertical chain SI which is attached to an eye bolt 82, which in turn extends through the cross member 30. Thus when the cross member is elevated by a suitable hoisting apparatus, the bracket loop 19 is elevated in unison with the brackets 35. Cables 18 connect the cross members 30 with the hoist, `not illustrated.

The opposite clamping member C is likewise provided with an integral extension 11 which is designed to fit through a loop forming a part of the bracket 19 connected by 'a link 80 to the chain BI, Thus the clamping units C at each end of the apparatus are supported by the cross members 30 and lifted in unison with the various brackets 35.

As indicated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, each unit C is equipped with a clamping structure which insures the tight engagement between the clamping unit C and the individual bricks along which it extends. Each vertical flange 15 is provided near its lower extremity with a hinge 83 designed to hingedly connect the vertical flange 15 to a clamping shoe 84. Actually a plurality of hinges such as 83 are spaced throughout the length o-f the angle member 13 or 14 and the clamping shoes 84 are relatively short as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. Each clamping shoe 84 is hingedly connected at 86 to a block 81 having a slot 89 in its upper extremity. A second hinge 90 is provided on the horizontal flange 16 of each angle member. rlhe hinge 9B is provided with a hinge leaf 9i which is marginally pivotally connected at 92 toa block member 93. A compression arm 94 which may be in the form of a flat spring connects the upwardly directed slot 89 in the block member 81 to the downwardly directed slot 95 of the block member 93.

The hinge plate BI normally extends above the level of the upper surface of the flange 'i6 oi' the angle member 14 or 13. As a result as the horizontal flange 16 of the angle member 13 or 14 is drawn upwardly by the hoist, acting through the chain SI and the bracket 19, the hinge leaf 9| has a tendency to engage against the `undersuriace 95 of the lowermost tier of bricks I3. As a result the upward movement of the" angle member tends to hinge the hinge leaf 9| in a clockwise direction lowering the upper hinge connection 92. This action tends to lower the upper block 93 and this action in turn operates through the connector 94 to move downwardly the block E1. This action tends to hinge the clamping member 84 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 83, moving the clamping edge- 91 of the clamping member 84 against the bricks of the supporting row identied by the numeral Ill or I2. This action provides individual inward clamping action against the bricks of the supporting tiers, U

The operation of the apparatus is believed readily apparent from the foregoing description. The chains 33 and 34 supporting each of the lifting brackets 35 are so proportioned relative to the center chain that when the hook 4I is engaged with the eye 42 attached to the cable block 43, the upward pull is directed upon the cable 45 in advance of the time the bracket 35 exerts an upward force upon the bar ends of the bars I5 and I1. Thus the upward movement of the cross member 30 by a hoist or similar unit acts to pull the chains 40 upwardly until the rods 21 and 29 are moved outwardly a distance sufcient to -swing the clamping plates 65 against each of the bricks of the supporting tiers. The clamping plates 65 are normally enclosed within grooves such as 99 formed in the bars I3 and I1 and extending longitudinally thereof. When the clamping members 65 and 66 are in contacting relation to the bricks, further longitudinal pull upon the operating rods 21 and 29 acts to compress the springs 52 and 53. Not only is the force against each of the racks 41 and 49 equalized through the pulley block 43 but also the clamping device may move laterally within the spaces such as I4 between the supporting rows of bricks.

After the hook 4I has pulled the cable 46 a distance sufficiently to clamp all of the individual clamping plates such as 65 and 36 against the bricks, the chains 33 and 34 begin to exert an upward movement upon the projecting ends of the bars I6 and I1. Simultaneously the brackets I9 engage against the angle members 13 and 14 to raise these latter angle members. If all of the bricks are properly gripped between the angle members and the clamping members B the top flange 15 of each angle member need not of i necessity engage against the undersurface 36 of the lowermost full tier of bricks I3. However, normally the clamping member C elevates until the leaf 8| of the spring engages against the undersurface 36 of the full brick tier i3, which in turn acts to apply pressure upon the upper end of each spring leaf ill. This action applies pressure through the connector e4 to the block 81 which in turn is connected to the hinged clamping plate 84 so that this hinge clamping plate may swing against the bricks of the outermost rows I il and I2 to clamp the individual bricks in place.

Thus it will be noted that the supporting tiers of bricks I0, II and I2 which underlie the remaining bricks of the stack are clamped between spaced clamping means which engage the undersurface 96 of the lowermost full tier of bricks which are identified by the numeral I3. The clamping units B which extend between spaced tiers I0, II and I2 act in opposite Vdirections and actually expand outwardly in both directions while the outer clamping units C operate only inwardly. The clamping mechanism is expanded before the actual lifting operation takes place, but there is a tendency for the clamping units B and C to slide upwardly until they come into physical contact with the undersurface of the brick row I3. At this time the upward pull upon the clamping members acts directly upon the undersurface of the lowermost complete tier of bricks I3 and accordingly the clamping members need only support the lowermost supporting rows I0, II and I2 and to hold the various rows in proper relationship so that the stack will remain intact. If the bricks are relatively uniform in size and shape the additional clamping shoes of the clamping members C are unnecessary. However, with bricks of usual irregularity it is preferable to provide individual clamping shoes which ordinarily engage only one or two bricks and need not engage al1 of the bricks of a row.

It will be further understood that the pull upon the rods 21 and 29 which actuate the individual clamping members of the clamps B operate from both ends of the clamping members so that the pull thereupon is equalized. When the load is lowered into contact with the ground or other flat surface the cross members 30 are lowered to an extent where the various chains supporting the clamping members are slack. The chains may then be freed from the clamping members by slipping the brackets 35 and 19 from the projecting ends of the clamping members B and C and by unhooking the hooks 4| from the cable blocks 43. The clamping members may then be pulled from beneath the stack of bricks and reused on a different stack if and when desired.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my brick lifting apparatus, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. A brick lifting apparatus for use between rows of bricks, the apparatus including an elongated support, rod means extending longitudinally of said support and slidably connected thereto, a series of racks on said rod means, a gear member pivotally supported by said support adjacent each of said racks, and clamping plates supported by said gears, longitudinal movement i,

of said rod means acting to pivot said gears and to move said clamping plates toward or away from said support.

2. The structure described in claim 1 and in which the clamping plates are pivotally connected to the gears.

3. The structure described in claim 1 and in which the clamping plates are arranged in spaced relation on opposite sides of said support.

4. The structure described in claim 1 and including means at opposite ends of said support for lifting said support.

5. The structure described in claim l and including springs on said rod means engageable against said racks to move the same.

6. A brick handling device for use between racks, arms secured to said gear segments, clamping plates secured to said arms, longitudinal movement of said rod means moving said racks and thereby pivoting said gear segments to swing said arms in unison, pivotal movement of said arms moving said clamping plates toward and away from said-bars.

7. The structure described in claim 6 and including springs on said rod means engageable with each of said racks to move the same.

8. The structure described in claim 6 and including a liexible cable connected to each rod means to actuate the same.

9. The structure described in claim 6 and in which said rod means comprises two separately operable rod units.

10. A brick handling device for use in handling bricks and engageable between spaced rows of bricks, the device including an elongated support, two pairs of rods slidably supported for longitudinal movement on said support, the rods on each pair being arranged in parallel relation and the pairs of rods being aligned, a series of racks supported on each of said rods, a gear segment supported on said support adjacent each of said racks, a clamping plate pivotally connected to each of said gear segments, and means for sliding said rods longitudinally.

11. The structure described in claim 10 and in which the means for moving the rods comprises a flexible member connecting the rods of each pair and a pulley supported by said flexible member intermediate the ends thereof.

12. A lifting device including a series of spaced elongated support means clamping members in cluding arms pivotally supported to the support means in longitudinally spaced relation, gear segments on said arms, rack means for actuating said gear segments to pivot said arms, and clamping plates supported by the free ends of said arms.

ANDREW S. MACKENZIE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 999,519 Peneld Aug. 1, 1911 2,033,746 Sullivan Mar. 10, 1936 

